Preservation of liquid foods

Abstract

Anti-spoilage inserts and methods are provided for inhibiting the spoilage of liquid foods.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of inhibiting spoilage of a volume of milk, the method comprising the step of:
 immersing an anti-spoilage insert at least partially in the volume of milk for a predetermined period of time which is an effective time to inhibit spoilage, 
 wherein the anti-spoilage insert comprises silver, wherein the silver is deposited on a substrate. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silver has a silver weight, wherein the substrate has a substrate weight, wherein the silver weight is at least 0.05% of the substrate weight. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the substrate weight is at least 1 mg per mL of the volume of milk. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of milk is contained in a container, further comprising the step of attaching the anti-spoilage insert to the container. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises fiberglass, plastic, paper, wood, wood-pulp, cellulose, silica, alumina, gelatin, agar, clay, carbon, non-woven material, woven material, fabric or any other material on which silver can be deposited. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the silver comprises nanoparticles. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of removing the anti-spoilage insert from the volume of milk after the predetermined period of time has elapsed. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of milk comprises mammalian milk. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the mammalian milk comprises human milk, cow milk, buffalo milk, goat milk, camel milk, sheep milk, or milk of any other mammal. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of milk comprises raw milk. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of milk comprises pasteurized milk, ultra-high temperature sterilized milk, or milk processed by any other preservation method. 
     
     
       12. A method for producing a milk anti-spoilage insert, the method comprising
 agitating a substrate in a precursor solution for at least 30 minutes, wherein the precursor solution comprises at least 0.01M silver nitrate; 
 drying the substrate; 
 heating the substrate at a temperature of at least 100° C. for at least 30 minutes; and 
 heating the substrate at a temperature of at least 250° C. for at least 15 minutes. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the substrate comprises fiberglass, plastic, paper, wood, wood-pulp, cellulose, silica, alumina, gelatin, agar, clay, carbon, non-woven material, woven material, fabric or any other material on which silver can be deposited. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of enclosing the substrate in an enclosure; wherein the enclosure allows the volume of milk to partially or wholly contact the substrate. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the enclosure comprises a liquid permeable material. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid permeable material comprises non-woven fiber, woven fiber, fabric, paper, plastic or any other material that allows liquid to pass through the enclosure. 
     
     
       17. A method of inhibiting spoilage of milk, the milk having a volume, the method comprising the step of:
 immersing a substrate comprising silver in milk for an effective time to inhibit spoilage; 
 wherein the substrate has a substrate weight, wherein the substrate weight is at least 1 mg per mL of the volume; 
 wherein the silver is deposited on the substrate, wherein the silver has a silver weight, wherein the silver weight is at least 0.05% of the substrate weight. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the silver comprises nanoparticles.